This Christmas I (Nathan) am picking up a tradition passed along by my papa Pete: Every Christmas Eve Papa would sit us down and read the Christmas story from the Bible--he'd make sure we all heard the promises of God before we dove headlong into our presents. As I prepared to do the same thing with my own children, nieces, and nephews I was convicted that I need to tell them more than simply a baby named Jesus was born. The entire point of Advent, and the anticipation of a Messiah, was because there are really three Advents promised by God and we need to live in light of all three at the same time. This episode is a reminder that we can do that starting today, and that it will impact every area of our lives.






A short list of verses to remind ourselves, and our family, of what God has done and is doing:

Genesis 22:15-18 (after Abraham puts Isaac on the altar to sacrifice)
Isaiah 9:2-7 - The promise of the Messiah - the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light…
Luke 4:16-21 - Jesus declares himself the Messiah, echoing what Isaiah
John 7:37 - rivers of living water
Revelation 22:1-3 - everything will be made right, and those rivers of living water will fill us, flow from us and from the city.